A winter for the books, this season has been jam-packed with ice and snow storms. From school delays to flooded streets to property damage, stormwater can take a very inconvenient and expensive toll on a community.
The City of Crown Point has seen considerable flooding over the years. In response, city officials have signed onto a contract with Commonwealth Engineers, Inc. to update the stormwater policies and procedures. This new Stormwater Master Plan will be a major update from the current plan, which has been in place for the last 10 years.
Crown Point is what is called a “combined sewer community.” With this type of system, wastewater and stormwater are often combined to be transported to the treatment facility. In the event of heavy rain, overflow is common. Over the years, the City of Crown Point has spent millions of dollars correcting this overflow and other problems that threaten wastewater requirements. A stormwater utility through the Department of Public Works has been established; however, it is still a developing service.
The current stormwater plan is quite complicated. With stormwater having a profound impact on everything from erosion and flooding, to standing water and its potential for disease, having a combined sewer system makes it difficult to discern where the problem lies. Over the next couple of months, Commonwealth Engineers, Inc. and the City of Crown Point will be conducting research to determine where the community is finding the greatest concern.
“It is always more cost effective if you know what your problems are and you work to address and avoid them getting worse than it is to crisis manage and address only as issues arise,” Al Stong, President and Project Manager of Commonwealth Engineers, Inc. explained. “So you work to avoid what makes things worse and to promote what makes things better.”
Officials leading the plan will be assessing predictions for the city’s growth over the next several years to determine what the city needs to put in place in order to prepare for future requirements. Most importantly, Crown Point residents are asked to take an online survey evaluating stormwater needs as well as attend public meetings on the project.
“The public can help best by being active in the survey participation...and by being participants in the public meetings. Whenever a meeting involves the potential for a change in the way the City invoices the rate payers, it’s good to have all sides and perspectives there to discuss,” Stong encouraged.
The information gained from these efforts will help inform the new Master Plan that will have a direct impact on the residents and businesses in the area. Right now, stormwater service is billed as a flat fee, not taking into account the permeability of the property nor the mechanisms in place to manage excess water. Residential properties pay $6/month and non-residential properties pay $12/month. With the new plan and the community’s input, more accurate charges will be established.
The evaluation will also provide alternative solutions that can reduce the problem and, in turn, reduce charges. The installation of rain gardens, retention and detention ponds, and underground storage are only a couple options.
Crown Point residents can access the online survey here. Furthermore, residents and interested groups can keep up-to-date on public city meetings at the City of Crown Point website.
